


Jean Grey School's Club for Magic Users

by Wacnaldos



Series: Earth 237 AU [1]
Category: Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Multi, Nonbinary Character, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-11 21:19:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7907995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wacnaldos/pseuds/Wacnaldos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wanda Maximoff starts a magic club at her ex's school</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_To: originalwiccan95@smail.com, meggwynnpixie@thexmen.org, irasputina@jeangreyschool.edu, and (12) others_

_From: wmaximoff@smail.com_

_Subject: Magic Users Club_

_Hello,_

_This is Wanda Maximoff._

_Recent events in my own life have led me to consider forming a club for magic users, whether they be mutants with magic-like powers, humans, mutants who use magic outside of their powers, inhumans, people from other planets and of different species, or anyone or anything else. Anyone is welcome to join, no matter what their skill level or specialty. I feel there is increasing need – in this world at least – for those of us who align ourselves with goodness in any form or fashion to band together._

_(I am not anticipating any upcoming events, but if any of you are, I would love to know about them in order to prepare and spread the word – please reply all to this message if that is the case.)_

_What do you all think? I don't have any schematics of this group planned out or ready yet; in fact, this is the first time I've spoken to anyone besides my son, Billy, about this. If you are interested in being involved or have any ideas for places to meet, please respond!_

_Feel free to forward this message to anyone who isn't in my address book._

_Sincerely,_

_Wanda_

Wanda took a sip of her lukewarm coffee and looked over her email. Did it look alright? Would anyone respond? Who would? Who wouldn't? Would somebody higher up in the earthly power chain show up at her house to shut everything down?  
She thought back to what Dr. Strange had told her many years ago when she was left pregnant and alone, shortly before her catastrophic meltdown, which she and all of the earth were still feeling aftershocks of. You are too emotional, Wanda, he said. I'm not saying this because of recent events or the fact you're very close to having a child. I'm saying this because I want you to be careful, and not to overextend yourself. Focus on your family, now. Keep your focus on your family.  
Mere months later, she had less family than she'd had her entire life, and Strange had been among the ranks of those who tried to kill her to solve the problems she'd taken from herself and forced upon the world. He hadn't spoken to her then. Nor did he speak to her now, since her self-enforced exile was over and she lived in the world as the Scarlet Witch again. She had no idea what he thought of her, but she knew how she felt about him.  
These thoughts swirling around her heard, Wanda clicked send, and threw the ball out of her court. She had other things to think about today. She shut her laptop and gathered her things, then left the coffee shop.

Once she got home, Wanda set her things down at her desk and plugged her laptop in. As it were, there was already had a response to her email waiting for her amidst the bank statements and power bills.

_To: wmaximoff@smail.com_

_From: irasputina@jeangreyschool.edu_

_Subject: Re: Magic Users Club_

_Wanda,_

_First of all, thank you for including me in this message. I really appreciate that you thought of me._

_I think this club would be a great idea. Actually, I might be able to host you here at the school. Piotr matched me up as a tutor with a couple of students who use magic, and this club might help me connect with them. I'll ask Ororo and Jean if we have the space and a time slot that will work for everyone who would like to come._

_Please keep me up to date on how your planning progresses. I would love to see this club happen._

_Illyana_

Wanda almost leapt from her chair and danced around the room, but instead contained her excitement to balling her fists and pumping them above her head, yelling, “Yes!”  
She quickly sent a response to Illyana, explaining that her response was the only one so far, and detailing her own joy over Illyana's interest in the club, as well as thanking her for the venue suggestion. Wanda couldn't wait around refreshing her email all day, though, and left her laptop alone to go clean the house and get started on dinner.  
Billy and Tommy would not be eating takeout falafel on her watch again.

Billy arrived ten minutes before six, sporting a sweater and beanie, the latter of which he took off once inside.  
“It smells great in here,” he said after hugging his mother. “Are you trying out Mom's matzo ball soup recipe?” Wanda didn't flinch at her child's reference to Mrs. Kaplan as “mom”; she knew she counted to Billy as a mother, and did not fault him for begrudging her the missing years. Mrs. Kaplan was the woman who had raised him, after all, not her.  
“Trying it out? I have added my own flair,” she said, leading him into the kitchen, “which you can taste when your sibling gets here.”  
“Alright,” Billy said, chuckling. “Is there anything I can do around here while we wait for said sibling?”  
“You can make yourself comfortable and tell me everything you've been up to lately.”  
So he took a seat at the little table and started talking about the Avengers while Wanda flurried around.

Tommy got to the apartment ten past six, looking frazzled and carrying a windswept bouquet of flowers. “Sorry, sorry,” they said while their mother hugged them and refused the bouquet. “Please take these, Mom. I hate being late.” they explained, “and this'll help me feel less like the worst child ever,” they added quickly.  
Wanda protested, first by stating Tommy shouldn't use their hard-earned money for trivial things like flowers when their presence was enough of a gift, then by saying those kinds of flowers weren't even her favorites, then by claiming she was bad with flowers, before finally accepting the gift. 

They all sat down to eat while Wanda tried to animatedly quiz both the twins on every detail of their lives. Was Tommy eating enough? Ice cream didn't count. How was Teddy? Did he like the sweater she'd made him for his birthday? – A moment of silence – How were both of their jobs? Um, wasn't Tommy seeing someone on the – what – the down far? Oh, the down low. And no? Oh, okay. 

They all ate in silence for several minutes. 

“This soup is very good,” Billy said, after a while. “I like the touches you added.”  
“Yeah, I really like the bread, too,” Tommy added. “Or, um, challah, right?”  
“It is challah,” Billy said.  
“I'm glad you like the food,” Wanda responded.  
“Don't you?” Billy asked, “You've barely touched your bowl or challah.”  
“Oh, pardon me. I'm just – so excited to have you both here.” She was silent for a moment. “And, um, there was something I wanted to tell you.”  
The twins both said “what's that?” at the same time, looked at each other, then laughed.  
“Well,” Wanda said, chuckling a little herself, “it's actually about the, ah, family.”  
“Is it about Magneto?” Billy asked. “Or our grandmother?”  
“What more is there to know about that guy?” Tommy said, glancing very quickly at Wanda to see if they should apologize.  
“No, and I mean… my father has quite a lot of life story to tell, but I'll let him tell you himself – if and when he makes the time to.” She looked down and to the side, her cordial expression faltering a little bit. “But, ah, this is not about your grandparents, no.” She smiled again and reached out her hands toward Billy and Tommy. “Please don't spit out your food. I've been meaning to tell you about your other mother.”  
Billy coughed, and Tommy gave Wanda a strange look, but they didn't spit out their food.  
Before Billy could say something, Tommy cut him off. “I'd actually been meaning to ask you about how we, uh, came about.”  
“I thought you just magicked us into existence,” Billy said. “Well, not just just, but that it was what you did.”  
“Oh, I definitely did have you myself, and it was certainly done through magical means, but I had some help, and I think that is significant.” She paused for a moment, obviously letting the tension build. “Jean Grey was instrumental in helping me find out how to conceive, as well as helping me through the process. This is because we were partners, and she was planning on raising you with me.”  
“What?”  
“Did you have a bad breakup?”  
“Well, yes and no. As you know, the whole Phoenix thing happened, and Jean died for a while, and came back – and this was happening while I was pregnant – and when she came back she was, well. She wasn't the same Jean Grey.”  
“Death change her a lot?” Tommy grimaced after finishing their question. “I mean, it would, wouldn't it?”  
“No, I mean, she was literally a different person. The Jean Grey you've met isn't the woman I loved and who mean to raise you with me.” Wanda started fidgeting with her sleeves. “She's Jean Grey, certainly, but she isn't my Jean Grey.”  
Billy moved in his chair to angle himself toward his mother. “Are you talking about how she changed a lot? Or something else?”  
“Something else. I've never been able to prove it, or even test my theory, but I'm fairly certain this Jean is from another universe.”  
“Huh,” Billy said.  
“No wonder my shoulders are so thin,” Tommy said. When the other two looked at them, they explained. “Well, everyone in this family has very broad shoulders, and I don't, and I've always wondered about that.”  
“Well, yes, you did obviously inherit that trait from her,” Wanda said.  
They all went back to their forgotten food for a moment, then Billy spoke. “So this Jean, does she know you were involved?”  
“Yes, I confronted her about it when she first came back. She didn't even react.” Wanda bit her lip. “And she didn't know anything about the school she'd started, much less about me or you.” She took a deep breath.  
Billy put his hand on Wanda's. “Is that what caused… everything?”  
Wanda silently nodded, tearing up. “The breakdown, the disappearance.” Her voice broke as she said, “I overreacted, I know.”  
Tommy rushed over to Wanda's side and awkwardly hugged her. She held them close and let out a sob. Billy joined the hug.

The twins left late that night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's been a little longer since I've posted than I meant it to be! I hope this chapter finds you well and you have a blessed week.
> 
> Warning for mild body horror
> 
> If you are a more experienced witch than me and have some commentary on the magic, I welcome anything you have to say
> 
> if you have anything to say at all (that isn't spam or harassment) I'd love to hear it!

_To: quickrabbit@smail.com_

_From: wmaximoff@smail.com_

_Subject: Pietro, Today Was Just Lovely!_

_Brother,_

_Oh, you have to come to one of the magic club meetings with me sometime!_

_We had our first meeting today and it was so wonderful. You would love everyone. Illyana had two students with her and the twins came with me. A good turnout, I think!_

_I hope this message finds you well,_

_Love,_

_Wanda_

______________Illyana at school was quite different from Illyana with the X-men. She looked significantly less imposing in a leather jacket and black skinny jeans than her usual high-femme hero costume. Wanda nearly didn't recognize the average height young adult waiting for her in the designated classroom they'd set aside for the club. Accompanying Illyana were two visibly mutant students. Billy smiled at everyone, the sort of smile he wore among strangers, so he apparently didn't recognize Illyana. That, or they had in fact never met.  
Of course, Wanda's entrance to and walk through the school were almost an event themselves for the students and faculty she passed. This was common and she was used to the looks, being six feet tall in sandals and sticking out with all the many supplies she'd thought to bring, along with the bright red patterned dress she wore. Barely anyone noticed Billy and Tommy following along carrying even more books, fabrics, and miscellaneous things from around Wanda's home.  
“Good afternoon,” Illyana said professionally when the Maximoff posse arrived.  
“Good afternoon!” Wanda said excitedly.  
“Shall we get started?”  
“Oh, definitely.”  
Illyana gestured to the teens, “Wanda, Billy, Tommy, this is Adipose, and this is Weed.” Adipose was fairly genotypical passing, save for their lack of hair and the fact one of their tank top straps was sticking out of their shoulder rather than laying on top of it. Weed was a person made of braided wood, like wicker – the only sign of sentience being their fidgeting hands and softly glowing brown eyes. They both looked very bored as they waved at Wanda and the twins.  
“Adipose, Weed, this is Wanda and her twins, Billy and Tommy.”  
“Nice to meet you,” Billy said.  
“Likewise,” Adipose said, disinterested. Weed smiled, though it was hard to tell.  
“Let's all sit,” Wanda suggested. They did, in a circle Illyana had made of the chairs. 

______________Everyone talked amongst themselves after the introductions for several minutes, dissolving back into smaller groups, but then Illyana piped up from her seat where she'd been quietly spectating.  
“I intend to commit myself fully to this club, as I commit myself fully to everything that matters to me in this school, and this world, which are my home.” This effectively shut everyone up. She continued, “I hope we will not simply be chatting through each meeting, but rather studying our craft, bettering ourselves, and supplementing each other's growth during our time together.”  
Wanda, on the verge of tears, stood up and rushed to Illyana's chair, where she took her hands and stood in silence for a moment. “I had no idea you felt that way about this.” Wanda said, her voice breaking. “What do you think we should do to make this club worth all of our time?”  
The two students and Billy were staring in outright shock. Tommy played with their phone, accepting everything that was going on in stride as normal magic-user behavior.  
“Well, let's study our craft.” Illyana squeezed Wanda's hands before pulling hers away to dig around in her bag. Adipose and Weed groaned as she pulled out what appeared to be a large grimoire. Illyana held up the tome for the group to see as Wanda returned to her seat. “This is Grimoire Nacht, the book in which I keep all my spells, potion recipes, descriptions of Limbo, my political strategies, theories about mine and others powers, and records of all the creatures and things I've encountered in this world and in Limbo.”  
“Very cool,” Tommy said candidly, although they didn't look up from their phone.  
Ignoring them, she continued. “I thought it might prove useful to us, but we could begin this meeting with a project. I'm suggesting we all make journals of our craft, or bring ours in next time if we are already journaling.” She set Grimoire Nacht down on her lap and pulled more books out of her bag. A couple were plain black, a few were brown with intricate leatherwork designs, there was one red one with strange pictures on the front, another was dark green and had a golden bird on the front. “I'd like all of you to take one of these, even if you have journals already.” She passed out the pile and everyone took a notebook.  
“This was such a wonderful idea, Illyana,” said Wanda. “Thank you for bringing these.”  
“You're welcome,” Illyana said to Wanda. “Now you can do whatever you like with these notebooks, but I have a few suggestions,” Illyana said to the group. “When I started working on the grimoire, I left a few pages in the front for an index and intro once I had finished or gotten further along in the book. I also sectioned off parts of the book for different uses: fifty pages for some spells, fifty for potions, fifty for another type of spell, a large section for theorizing about Limbo. You can also do this, whether or not you want to make your journal into a grimoire.” She pulled out some pens and pencils and passed those around the room as well. “Do you all want to work on these for a little bit right now? We could also leave these for now and work on them on our own until next time.”  
“I think having something to work on at home would be great,” Billy said.  
“Yeah,” said Adipose.  
“I agree with him,” said Weed.  
“Alright, sounds good,” said Illyana. “What else would you like to do?”  
“I don't know,” said Adipose and Weed, both shrugging their shoulders.  
“I don't know,” said Billy, “we could read each others' fortunes.”  
“That's a great idea!” Wanda exclaimed. She pawed around through her own things for a while before producing a few tarot decks. “Does everyone know how to read tarot cards?”  
“Of course,” Weed scoffed.  
“I don't,” Tommy piped up.  
“How about I teach you?” Wanda let everyone pair up and choose a deck. Illyana, Billy, Wanda, and Tommy sat on the floor by their seats, and the two teens pulled a desk over from the wall where they were lined up.  
“Let me read your fortune first and show you how it's done. I'll draw a card to protect you.” Wanda spread her deck out and pulled a card for Tommy, placing it face up in front of them. It was The Sun. Wanda smiled. “My goodness, this one is a great protector!”  
“What?” Tommy stared at the card, trying to figure it out. “How?”  
“Well,” Wanda started, “The Sun is-”  
“Nice shuffling, 'Pose!” Weed exclaimed from across the room. Adipose was shuffling their deck between their hands, which were about a yard apart. As everyone turned their attention to Adipose, they made the cards twirl and dance through the air, around Weed's head, and then around the room, finally bringing them to a stop in a neat pile on the floor between the two students. Adipose then spread the cards out with their hand.  
“What are you looking at?” Weed said. With the spell broken, everyone went back to their own business.  
When Wanda looked back at Tommy, they were frowning at their phone. “Damn, I'll have to hear about The Sun card later, Mom.”  
“What?” Wanda followed Tommy as they stood up, picked up their bag, and headed out into the hall.  
“Sorry, I've gotta go.” And with that, they disappeared in a flash.  
Wanda slowly walked back into the classroom, but perked up and clasped her hands together. “Well, this is probably as good a place as any to stop for the day.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear what you think. There will definitely be appearances by all the tagged characters, as well as many more, in the coming chapters. There's a lot more to this story than simply the club, and the details of how this au is an au will come out as the story progresses.  
> Thank you again, and visit me on tumblr at iowaste


End file.
